Darkening of Mirkwood

The adventure continues

The adventure continued and the company stopped at an old building, one of the last buildings they would see on their journey to the Misty Mountains. They made the most of the camp enjoying a fine perch fished out the river by Posco

Hamson sang a most wonderful song about the adventure they had faced thus far and about the long journey ahead while Dodo and Posco began to craft mementos of the fantastic scenes that lay before them. The mountains loomed overhead and the road stretched long and far in front of them but the wood was brittle and the sticks splintered as they carved.

Leaving the building behind them the travellers passed a bridge and an old Mannish town where all that was left was ruins. The hobbits imagined what could have been in the past walking over what they imagined to be the old town square, imagining how different this town was to the homely Shire. They made camp and Dodo explored while Hamson and Posco began another song, they were tired and it was not their best work…

As the hobbits regrouped for bed they noticed a scruffy man with his boots off looking a bit too relaxed at their camp fire. They went over and cautiously asked where he was going and he replied Bree and proceeded to produce some Longbottom leaf, much to the hobbits delight. The stranger also produced some coins that Hamson longed for greatly. The delight was dampened however when the smelly man recanted the tales of his journey and relished a bit too gleefully over the fact he had left the hobbit, from whom he bought the pipe weed and could only have been Dodo’s cousin Dino, and his caravan in the mountains and neglected to warn them of the growing goblin problem. The man went to repose and Hamson set up watch.

An eerie feeling had Hamson sit up and take note of a wraith like ghost on the edge of the camp coming towards the stranger. Hamson’s scream alerted the camp and the stranger managed to get a good start on the wraith, Frier who had been on high alert since the man appeared got right into the action and passed fire about to the hobbits who quickly realised that swords were futile against this new horror. The company rallied (except Pori) and soon the wraith was fleeing with Dodo and Posco’s arrows chasing after it. The company finally felt that they should learn more about this random man and learned he was called Shanker. As a thanks for their help Shanker told the group about where they might find some treasure and the group acquired a beautiful clasp with 4 beautiful gems on it. As Shanker left for Bree the group left hurriedly after learning that the 4 men and hobbit party were 2 weeks away and possibly in danger.

As they climbed the mountain they took a look back at the beautiful scenes below, the mist was coming down and it was getting darker. As the darkness settled a pony trotted by with an arrow sticking out of its hindquarters. Dodo and Posco’s simple first aid skills were not good enough to help remove it completely but they patched the poor fellow up after that they all kept a sharp eye open. Suddenly Frier cried out and cracked the whip of the carriage, he had seen a glint of a fire over yonder where he knew there to be a fort. ‘They must be there’ he shouted as they travelled at pace.

The camps rejoiced as they met but Dino’s team were weary. Dino’s guide, Iwgar, told a tale of being stalked by goblin spies before being ambushed last night by a goblin host, their caravans raided. The rest of the band; Andy Blackthorn, Tom Lumpyface and Bill the Bowman went to the business of assessing the battle strategy. The hobbits inspired the new recruits with a song and a story of their epic triumphs of the wraith. They set up the caravans to reinforce the fort and they were all ready to fight.

And what a battle it was. The hobbit’s plus Frier fought back 8 goblins, 2 orcs and Ubhurz the great orc leader. Dodo’s particularly epic slaughter of an orc in ONEBLOW impressed the group so much that from then on, when in this particular company, he would be known as Dodo ‘Orcslayer’ Brandybuck. His impressive axe wielding skills saved the hobbit company from any lasting harm.

Ubhurz the great orc leader was felled when the hobbits Dodo and Hamson distracted him while Frier put in a good few hits and then Posco, in an almost tragic accidental fall, released his arrow that miraculously ended up in the orcs eye! From then on Posco’s Bow was named the ‘Eye Catcher’.

As the goblins learned of the orc leaders defeat they all fled and the company began to lighten up and rejoice after the adrenalin filled fight. But after a while the party was starting to wane and the hobbits noticed that Dino was missing….

The hobbits reached Bree after four days of travelling. The trip had been pleasant but uneventful, and by the time the village’s wooden walls rose into view the trio were anxious for some real adventure. As they approached the gates, they were surprised to find them shut and apparently locked. The sounds and smells of a bustling fairground emanated from within.

After an hilarious (ಠ_ಠ) incident with the gatekeeper, they headed to the Prancing Pony for a drink and elevenses, the most important meal since second breakfast until lunch.

The inn was busy for mid-morning. The hobbits quizzed the busy barman, Barleyman Butterburr (?), on the local happenings and the locations of the two dwarves, Pori and Freir. Doderick also enquired after his cousins.

As luck would have it, Pori was enjoying some pipe weed by the nearby fire. After sharing an ale, and a story or two, with Posco, he agreed to accompany the party across the Misty Mountains on his way out of Bree after the festival. Dodo chatted to a local hobbit about the whereabouts of his cousins, Dodi and Dino, and learned that they are the proprietors of The Easterly Inn. Meanwhile, Hamson befriended a group of local ruffians drinking in the bar after he mistook them for adventurers.

Out in the fairground, the friends tried their luck with archery at the stall of Domarr, a man of the Dale Archers Guild (?). Hamson won a beautiful dragon carving which he was told contained Dwarven magic. Unfortunately, a few ill-chosen remarks aimed towards the hobbits earned Domarr the ire of the group and he would later fall victim to some petty vandalism. Probably. Why do you ask? What vandalism?

Back at the Prancing Pony, the hobbits met Freir the dawrf and discovered that he worked as a handyman for Dodo’s cousins. He also revealed that he was in rather a rush to leave. Dino had been supposed to meet him in Bree with a caravan of goods from the Easterly Inn, but the party was late, and Freir feared they had run into trouble in the mountains.

Spurred by Freir’s anxiety, Dodo, Hamson and Posco agreed to leave the following morning. The even persuaded Pori to leave early with them, though it was only by eventually appealing to his more epicurean tendencies.

Dodo and Hamson’s bid to tempt the local sellswords with the promise of riches and adventure also met with initial excitement. It ended more tensely, however, as the least inebriated of the mercenaries had the good sense to demand payment up front. Dodo did not take kindly to their lack of enthusiasm for adventure and the men ultimately decided not to join the party.

Shortly after dawn the next morning the two dwarves packed up their caravans and headed east out of Bree with their new companions. Spirits were high, al things considered, and despite missing second breakfast at The Prancing Pony, the three hobbits were excited about the adventure ahead.

A Recipe for Bree

The Journey Begins…

It is the summer of 1345 (by Shire reckoning, of course!), year 2945 of the Third Age.

Hamson the Hobbit lives in Hobbiton and dreams of going to Erebor to see the treasures that Bilbo has talked about.

Doderic arrived in Hobbiton in the Autumn and fell in with Hamson talking about travelling and seeing the things that Bilbo has seen.

Posco arrived a few months ago to catalogue lots of Bilbos possessions so that they can go to the Matham House that Posco works for. Posco has been beguiled by the stories of Bilbo and his old friend Hamson along with the enthusiasm of Doderic. Though Posco isn’t quite to sure about this journey.

They have been egging each other on for a while and realise they need a map beyond Bree. They decide to make some presents for Bilbo to coincide with the completion of Posco’s catalogue.

Doderic makes a carving of a dragon based on Hamson’s descriptions, Doderic finds a plant that Hamson thinks Bilbo will like, and Posco with their help writes a riddle poem that combines all the presents together.

The meet Bilbo and he is grateful for the catalogue and bowled over by the presents and so not only gives them a map to Bree but also gives them details of a dwarf called Freir that can take them across the Misty Mountains.

They set off the next day and end the day at the Golden Perch where they talk and drink and eat. They find out about two of Doderic’s cousins (Dodi and Dino Brandybuck, brothers) who left the Shire. They also found out about the Dwarf trader Pori who goes between Erebor and the Dwarf enclave at the Blue Mountains once a year.

They talk with the Landlord Edvard who helps them by giving Posco the recipes to the pubs menu. He also upgrades there room.

The next day they head to the edge of the Shire, heading across the Brandywine by the ferry and past the giant Hay Hedge, they avoid the Old Forest and after another couple of days walking the arrive on the outskirts of Bree.

The adventure log is where you list the sessions and adventures your party has been on, but for now, we suggest doing a very light “story so far” post. Just give a brief overview of what the party has done up to this point. After each future session, create a new post detailing that night’s adventures.

One final tip: Don’t stress about making your Obsidian Portal campaign look perfect. Instead, just make it work for you and your group. If everyone is having fun, then you’re using Obsidian Portal exactly as it was designed, even if your adventure log isn’t always up to date or your characters don’t all have portrait pictures.